ESPN selects three Falcons for their All-Pro roster

The Falcons have one game left in the 2021 season; at home against the Saints. Atlanta doesn’t have much to play for in Week 18 other than pride, and their jobs next season. Mathematically, the Falcons don’t have a chance to make the playoffs.

Kyle Pitts and Josh Harris were both named to the Pro Bowl last week, which upset a few Falcons fans as Cordarrelle Patterson, A.J. Terrell, and Chris Lindstrom were snubbed. Well, in a bit of justice, Bill Barnwell of ESPN named three different Falcons for his All-Pro teams.

“On the other side of the coin, there’s Terrell, who is the best player in football virtually nobody talks about on a week-to-week basis. He has intercepted on two passes but just 28.6% of the throws in Terrell’s direction have resulted in a positive play for the offense, which is the league’s best mark. Quarterbacks have posted a minus-16.9% completion percentage over expectation (CPOE) on throws toward Terrell, which also ranks No. 1. Terrell typically plays one side of the field so corners who move around the formation might offer more than him, but he has locked down half the field for a defense with no pass rush.”

“Lindstrom doesn’t get much attention, but having not allowed a single sack or taken a single holding call all season, he narrowly beat out the also-deserving Teller for the second-team spot.”

“Patterson has been used more as a runner than receiver — he has 140 carries and 49 catches — but he has been Atlanta’s top back and top wideout at times this season.”

It is encouraging to see the national media still fighting for those three to be acknowledged after the Pro Bowl announcement left many questioning how all three were left off the NFC’s roster. Terrell is the biggest snub, which is why Barnwell included him on the first-team while Patterson and Lindstrom were each relegated to second-team honors. Official All-Pro teams won’t be announced until after the season, but the Falcons should have several representatives honored by the Associated Press.